ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ALGAL FLAGELLAR

APPARATUS
BSC-I, BOTANY (H)

ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ALGAL FLAGELLAR APPARATUS @ UKP

 The flagella of the green alga
Chlamydomonas have been
used as a model of flagellar
structure. Flagella structure
has been highly conserved
throughout evolution, images
from Chlamydomonas are
virtually indistinguishable
from flagella (or cilia a term
for a short flagellum) of
mammalian cells including
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ALGAL FLAGELLAR APPARATUS @ UKP
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ALGAL FLAGELLAR APPARATUS @ UKP
 Diagrammatic drawing of the
whole flagellar apparatus.
The two flagella are joined
by the proximal connecting
fiber (PCF) and distal
connecting fiber (DCF). (After
Ringo, 1967.)

ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ALGAL FLAGELLAR APPARATUS @ UKP

 hydrolyzes ATP, resulting energy
used by dynein to move along the B-
tubule of the adjacent outer
13
protofilamen
microtubule doublet.
ts Mechano
enzyme
attach to the A-tubule of the
outer microtubule doublet and
extend to the B tubule of the
adjacent outer microtubule
doublet
each consisting of a thin stalk
and head, project from the A-
tubule of the outer microtubule
doublets composed of
11
and tubulin
protofilamen
13
ts which make up
protofilamen 70% of the
ts protein mass of
the axoneme.
(Dutcher, 1995)

ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ALGAL FLAGELLAR APPARATUS @ UKP

 A
tubule
B
tubule

Diagrams of dyneins and related structures

seen along the A-tubule of each doublet.
(Mitchell, 2000.) BENDING OF FLAGELLA

ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ALGAL FLAGELLAR APPARATUS @ UKP

 Dynein move along the B-tubule of
the adjacent outer microtubule
doublet.
B-tubule is called the track while the
A-tubule is called the cargo.

The resulting displacement of outer

microtubule doublets in relation to
each other causes bending
of the flagellum.

Kinesin proteins cause the central

pair of microtubules to rotate within
the axoneme.

As the central pair of microtubules

rotates, the microtubules interact
with the individual radial spokes
BENDING OF FLAGELLA
inducing sliding between adjacent
microtubule doublets, asymmetric
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ALGAL FLAGELLAR APPARATUS bending of the@ UKP
flagellum and
 FLAGELLAR BASAL BODY

2 nm filaments, cross-striated with

a periodicity of 30 nm approx., non
contractile

4-8 nm filaments, cross-striation

periodicity > 80 nm, contractile

Schematic three-dimensional reconstruction of the flagellar apparatus of a

female gamete of Ulva lactuca showing the four cruciately arranged
microtubular roots
ULTRASTRUCTURE and FLAGELLAR
OF ALGAL the fibrous contractile roots. (Melkonian,
APPARATUS @ 1980.)
UKP
 FLAGELLAR HAIRS / MASTIGONEMES
No hairs
with hairs flagel
la Whiplash /
acronematic
Tinsel / hairy / pantonematic /
flimmergeissel
1 NON TUBULAR HAIRS:
Solid fibrils 5-10 nm wide, 1-3 m long,
composed of glycoproteins, flexible

2 TUBULAR HAIRS:
2 m long, composed of 3 regions-
(a)Tapering basal region- 200 nm long
attavhed to FM
(b)Microtubular shaft- 1 m long
(c)Terminal filaments- 0.52 m long
Bases of the hairs do not penetrate FM, but
are stuck to
ULTRASTRUCTURE OFit.
ALGAL FLAGELLAR APPARATUS @ UKP
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ALGAL FLAGELLAR APPARATUS @ UKP
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ALGAL FLAGELLAR APPARATUS @ UKP
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ALGAL FLAGELLAR APPARATUS @ UKP
ULTRASTRUCTURE OF ALGAL FLAGELLAR APPARATUS @ UKP